MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logoDSpace@MIT

MIT
View Item 
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Graduate Theses
  • View Item
  • DSpace@MIT Home
  • MIT Libraries
  • MIT Theses
  • Graduate Theses
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Carbon nanotubes and their application to very long span bridges

Author(s)
Damolini, Stéphane
Thumbnail
DownloadFull printable version (53.62Mb)
Other Contributors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Advisor
Jerome J. Connor.
Terms of use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
Spanning long distances in bridge construction relies mainly on the structure's efficiency and materials used. Whereas structural design for high rise building is fast-expanding, the overall design of long span bridges has not progressed significantly, and the increase in span chiefly depends of new materials. Carbon nanotubes, with their extraordinary Young's modulus and tensile strength far exceeding steel, allow the production of ultra-strong cables which can be used for cable- based structures like suspension bridges. However, since nanoscopic elements are used to produce kilometer-long cables, it is difficult to calculate their real strength, taking into account physical and production defects. This thesis provides the background necessary to understand the complexities involved in creating a kilometer-long cable made of carbon nanotubes. It also presents a computer program that computes the theoretical tensile strength of such a cable for a given set of assumptions about nanotubes. Scenarios varying the mechanical properties (tensile strength and Young's modulus) are applied to a cable-stayed and a suspension bridge, and it is shown than spans longer than five kilometers could be realized with such technology.
Description
Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009.
 
Vita.
 
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-55).
 
Date issued
2009
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/51568
Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Keywords
Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Collections
  • Graduate Theses

Browse

All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

My Account

Login

Statistics

OA StatisticsStatistics by CountryStatistics by Department
MIT Libraries homeMIT Libraries logo

Find us on

Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube RSS

MIT Libraries navigation

SearchHours & locationsBorrow & requestResearch supportAbout us
PrivacyPermissionsAccessibility
MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Content created by the MIT Libraries, CC BY-NC unless otherwise noted. Notify us about copyright concerns.